


Splinters of a Heart of Wood

by vogue91



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Battle of Hogwarts, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 07:09:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13002528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vogue91/pseuds/vogue91
Summary: “You shouldn’t be here. Professor McGonagall will get angry if she sees you.” he pointed out, lightly. Colin felt like laughing.“Twenty points from Gryffindor, then.”





	Splinters of a Heart of Wood

_“Absolutely not, Mr. Creevey!”_

McGonagall’s voice was still echoing in his ears.

During his whole life he had always tried to obey to what was asked of him.

And yet in that moment it was like he had two paths laid in front of him, with completely opposite directions.

One lead to safety, to a certain survival out of that crazy, macabre night.

The other was the uncertainty, shadows, death.

Choosing the first option would’ve meant to suffer, to fear for what could’ve happened to those left fighting for Hogwarts, to those who always cheered him on, who made him feel just as important as them, who never treated him like a brat.

The second one... he evaluated the risks.

And he realized that was far better fate that of who chose to take those risks, to try and fight, even when hope was starting to fade.

And he felt he didn’t want to be alone when they would’ve finally realized they couldn’t make it.

 

~

 

Trying not to attract any attention, he went back inside Hogwart’s walls. It was easier than he thought; distracted as they all were from the Death Eaters, no one noticed the kid walking down the hallways.

Colin sighed. The scenery in front of him was almost pitiful.

He had often heard talking about that weird entity called ‘war’, but having it right under his nose was something that, he knew, he was not going to be able to forget.

He looked at his wand, with the desperation of who knows he’s got nothing else keeping him afloat.

He remembered the day he bought it, five years before, and he remembered how important he felt.

The wand made the wizard, he always felt that, and now more than ever he felt it strengthening, like it was drawing power from the very same danger around it.

 _“Spruce wood and core of dragon’s heartstring.”_ Ollivander told him, fierce like any artisan in front of his creature.

It was nothing special, but for Colin it was his most precious belonging.

He took a deep breath, straightened his shoulders and ran toward the fire of the battle, pretending even with himself that he wasn’t afraid at all.

It was fear that killed, more than any other curse.

 

~

 

“What are you doing here?” Neville asked him as soon as he saw him. Colin shrugged, confused.

He took for granted his presence inside the school, but he came to realize that many others had taken a safer path, bound to a deep sense of self-preservation.

“I’ve come here to fight.” he answered, simply. The older boy stared at him for a while, then he smiled.

“You shouldn’t be here. Professor McGonagall will get angry if she sees you.” he pointed out, lightly. Colin felt like laughing.

“Twenty points from Gryffindor, then.” he said, then he turned to face the Death Eaters, alongside the people he loved.

 

~

 

It didn’t matter how much you know something is bound to happen, that you can’t do anything to stop it, resignation was always late to come.

And Colin didn’t want to give in.

He had tried, he had really tried.

He’d cast spells, all those he had perfected during the DA’s meetings, all those that he wouldn’t have been able to cast without his friends’ help.

He had been good, but he was still swallowed by the evil that reigned all around him.

The time to turn away, and then there was nothing.

He saw the flashes of green light going toward him, and had a split second to tighten his hand on the wand, to hold himself onto that now useless piece of wood. He wasn’t trying to react, he knew it was useless, that no reflex, no matter how ready, would’ve saved him now.

He just wanted for that wand to come with him to death, as a sign that he was a wizard, that he had used them for things far from what was requested at school.

That Colin Creevey had been a part of Hogwart’s Battle, that he had lost, and that his spirit was never going to leave those walls, like that of all those who lied lifeless at his feet, those he was about to join.

When the light finally hit him, he just fell.

As many before, as many were going to fall.

He fell.

And yet, for some weird trick, he was conscious.

He felt like he could still walk, like he was still alive. To prove him wrong, the body lying at his feet.

He saw Oliver Wood shivering, before he dragged his corpse away from that Babylon.

He tried to tear the wand away from his little hand, but he couldn’t. It was like it had become a part of him now, part of what he was in life, and of what he was going to be in death.

A death that had come all too soon, this was what Colin was reading on the former Gryffindor’s face. He saw him refusing he help of a likewise shaken Neville, and bringing him to the Great Hall, amongst the heroes.

Colin felt fading, like those last moments on earth had been a grace, not a given.

The last thing he saw was Harry’s gaze over his body.

 

_He was tiny in death..._

Then he went away, knowing he was dead, maybe in vain, at least fighting for all those that were now horrified looking at his bloodless remains.

He left a part of him at Hogwarts, a part that right now felt happy.

He said goodbye silently and without remorse to himself and his friends; the he bid farewell to his wans, thanking it for choosing him.

A farewell that wasn’t hard on him, and he hoped that those that were crying him knew that. And yet, the sad looks in their eyes gave him one last hope. Until they were still able to feel the pain in the face of death, they still had the chance to defeat any enemy.


End file.
